At this point Paul moves rather suddenly from the experience of the Corinthians to his own experience. The effect is to intensify his appeal to the readers. Paul’s entire work, he implies, is based on the hope of resurrection and would make no sense without it. Good News Bible indicates the transition by the words “And as for us.” New English Bible marks this sudden change of theme by beginning a new paragraph. However, verse 30 logically, though not grammatically, depends on the condition “If the dead are not raised,” expressed in verse 29. It may be good to begin this verse “If there is no resurrection, why then would we…?”

Some commentators and translators take “we” (Good News Bible) to refer to Paul alone. However, in verse 32 he uses singular words in speaking of his personal experience. He could have done this in the present verse if other evangelists were not included. Good News Bible‘s “we” is probably a better translation.

Quoted with permission from Ellingworth, Paul and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, 2nd edition. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1985/1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .